TUTS to Stage THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS at Miller Outdoor Theatre, 7/15-20

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) will continue its annual summer tradition of offering free musical theatre with the unforgettable Texas tale The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, running July 15 - 20 at 8:15 p.m. each night at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

"In 2012, we produced a highly successful run of this show at the Hobby Center that garnered praise from audiences and critics alike. Now, we're bringing this madly popular title to the park so people can once again enjoy this wild ride of a musical at a price that can't be beat," said John Breckenridge, TUTS President and CEO.

It's all big songs and big hair in this sassy, spirited musical about a real-life brothel in Texas. Based on the "Chicken Ranch", the infamous, long-running house of ill repute, this tongue-in-cheek story chronicles Miss Mona Stangley, a classy yet brassy madam with a heart of gold, as her "business" becomes the center of a media controversy. Thrusting the Chicken Ranch into the spotlight is Melvin P. Thorpe, a loud-mouthed reporter based on Houston's own late Marvin Zindler. Spicing up the story line is a hot-headed, trigger-happy town sheriff, the Texas A&M football team, and Miss Mona's risqué girls. The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas will be a feisty, fun-filled treat that includes favorites such as "A Lil' Ole Bitty Pissant Country Place" and "Hard Candy Christmas".

Free tickets for the covered seats are available on the day of performance between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Miller Theatre Box Office. Free tickets are limited to four per person. Any tickets remaining will be given out one hour before curtain.

Don't want to wait in line? For each $50 tax-deductible donation to TUTS, the organization will set aside two reserved tickets under the covered pavilion so you may enjoy the show and experience how your generosity makes the music happen. To reserve tickets, visit TUTS.com/DonateNow or call 713.558.2651. Ticket holders are asked to arrive early as any unfilled seats will be released to the general public at 8 p.m.

No tickets? No problem! Bring a cozy blanket or lawn chair and enjoy the show from the Miller Theatre lawn, the perfect place for a picnic and a show!

TUTS' presentation of The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas is sponsored in part by The Brown Foundation, Inc., the George & Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation, The Wortham Foundation, Inc., Wells Fargo and by the City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Patrons are encouraged to utilize public transportation to Miller Outdoor Theatre. Visit www.RideMetro.org for a complete list of bus schedules and routes.

Theatre Under The Stars is Houston's acclaimed nonprofit musical theatre company whose mission is to enrich life through the experience of quality musical theatre and to positively impact lives beyond the stage through innovative education and community engagement programs. TUTS performs annually in Sarofim Hall and Zilkha Hall at the Hobby Center and at Miller Outdoor Theatre. TUTS was the first theatrical organization in Houston to perform free to the public when it was founded in 1968 at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park and is the only Houston arts organization that has performed there free to the public every year since the theatre opened. Founded by Frank M. Young and currently under the direction of President and CEO John C. Breckenridge and Artistic Director Bruce Lumpkin, TUTS has produced more than 300 musicals including many local, national and world. Through its membership in the Independent Presenters Network, TUTS regularly financially contributes to shows on Broadway, which eventually allows the company to bring the shows to Houston for local audiences to enjoy.

In support of TUTS' mission, TUTS' Education & Community Engagement programs provide year-round instruction and stage experience. The Humphreys School of Musical Theatre offers technique-driven classes for all ability levels and ages. Through The River Performing and Visual Arts Center, TUTS provides an accessible and inclusive arts education for individuals of all abilities. TUTS Education & Community Engagement provides extended on-site programming as well as off-site programming for children in schools, hospitals and other community-based sites. TUTS also annually presents the Tommy Tune Awards, honoring the best and brightest in Houston's high school musical theatre programs.

Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett